But whatever may be said against the use of the surplice in the pulpit, it cannot be denied that the Prayer for the Church Militant is to be read immediately after sermon, and in the same dress as was used in the former part of the service. To escape, therefore, from the difficulty, this prayer has been altogether omitted: and thus one irregularity is followed by another. Undoubtedly the prayer has been omitted, because it was inconvenient to change the gown for the surplice. Yet this very inconvenience supplies a strong argument in favour of the use of the surplice: for we may rest assured that when the regulation was made, no difficulty was experienced. It is incumbent on those, who contend that the Church never intended the surplice to be used for preaching, to explain this difficulty, and not to cut the knot by omitting the prayer. It is not sufficient to introduce a psalm or hymn: for though the unseemliness of keeping a congregation in silence, while the Clergyman is changing his robes, is thereby avoided, yet the difficulty is not removed, since no singing is prescribed at that particular time. If, however, it were intended, as I think is clear, that the whole should be performed in the same habit, that habit must be the surplice, since the gown was never enjoined by the Church.[1]
- ↑ I do not say that it would be desirable, as some persons are so strongly opposed, to enforce the observance of the Rubrics, which are so generally neglected: but I cannot refrain from giving expression to my opinion, that, all things considered, the course adopted by the Bishop of London, in his Charge in 1842, was the wisest and the most consistent. Had his Lordship's recommendations been received, uniformity would have been secured in the
having previously attended Morning Prayers in their respective chapels, that the gown is used.
